Improvement in apparatus for rendering animal matter



2 SheetsQ-Sheet. H. S; FIRMAN. Apparatusl for Rendering Animal-Matter.y

Patented lan.` 20, 1874.

` AH. S. FIRMAN Apparatuns for kRendering Animal-Matter'.

Patented Jafzo, 1874.

"1i ,5'1 Fir/265005" M reference marked thereon.`

i deringapparatus; Fig. 2, atransverse sectional tank. i

` and,` use my improved apparatus, I will now ber,as shown. This chamber does not extend UNITED STATES.I PATENT Orrrcn HENRY S. FIRMAN, OF NEN/V IYORK, N. Y.

IMPRovEMEN-r |N APPARATUS` FoR RENDERING ANIMALMATTER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 146,586, dated January 20,1874 application filed December 3, 1873.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, HENRY S. FIRMAN, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Rendering Fatty Substances; and l do hereby declare that the following is a fulland exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of This invention is an improved apparatus for =rendering fatty substances to obtain lar/d, tallow, or grease, or for treating offal, blood, bones, and all other kinds of animal matter. It isan improvement upon my patent of March 18, 1873, reissued November 4, 1873, No. 5,643, and adapted, by means of its improved construction, to produce more perfect results. Itsinovelty consists mainly, iirst, in the peculiar construction of the steam-jacket of the tank; second, in the peculiar construction of the internal hotair chamber; third, in the employment of certain strainers peculiarlyarranged; ifourth,'in the employment of steam, in combination with radiated heat from the steam-jacket and radiated heat from the hotair chamber; fifth, in the employment of hot air instead of steam in the jacket, in combination either with hot air or with steam in the hot-air chamber; sixth, in the employment of certain means for the more perfect regulation ofthe temperature; and, seventh, in certain details of construction, which, in connection with the foregoing, will be fully described hereinattcr.V

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a ver; tical sectional elevation of my improved renelevation of the furnace; Fig. 3, a horizontal' sectional view of the tank and hot-air cylinder; Fig. 4, an enlarged view of a segment of the `To enable others skilled in the artto make proceed to describe fully its construction, and the manner of using the same.

A represents the main tank, constructed ofA any proper size, and provided with the double wall a a, to form an interior steam-tight chamentirely around the circumference of the tank,

but on one or more sides, at proper points, it is so divided that an intervening space is formed between its ends, as shown in Fig. 4'. This pipe or pipes leading to the central hot-air cylinder are extended. B represents the central hot-air cylinder, Jconsisting of suitable metal plates, united to form two independent semi-cylindrical chambers, `b b, Fig. 3,-by means of strainer-plates b1 b1, which unite either the inner or outer edges of the cylinder, orboth,

as may be desired., This cylinder is suitably hung within themain tank or digester, and is connected bythedouble pipe b2 to the imain pipe b3, communicating with the fire-box of the furnace at any suitable point, or, if desired, the fire-box of the boiler. A similararrangement of pipe b4 b5 conveys the heated airfrom the top of the cylinder to the smoke-stack, .as shown. lf desired, a strainer, made of suitable material, may be caused to surround, either wholly or in part, the cylinder B, the lower` portion of which may communicate, by means i of a suitable pipe, withthe strainer D, lyingl loosely upon the discharging-plateE. F represents a chamber formed on the lower part of the main tank by means of the strainer-plates, which is provided with the draw-oil'` cock f, `as shown. G represents asteam-pipe openingintoi the interior of themain tank or digester, which is connected to the boiler by the; pipeg, as shown. g1representsabranchpipe,whichconveys steam 2 to the chamber between the walls of thetank. Gl Q" represents allot-air pipe of suitable dimensions, f leading from either the gas-consuming or the boiler furnace into the jacket, and is provided i with a suitable cut-oif valve or dampers` g2 and i cold-air pipe g3,witha suitable cut-oii or damper. i

H represents a thermometer, the `bulb of which is placed in the hot-air cylinder, its upper end projecting through the tank, as shown.` H i represents a thermometer, `placed in the hotair pipe between the reboxrand the tank or digester. Between the thermometer andthe` fire-box is located a coldair pipe, 7a, havinga This space may b'e arranged i suitables'top-cock, and also a stop-coek,1/, adapted to shut off the supply of hot air .entirely, when desired.

I, Fig. 2, represents a curtain, similar to that described in my patent of March 18, 1873, which is placed in the rear of the gas-burning device, a small intervening' space being left between it and the rear end of the lire-box.

rlhe operation of my improved apparatus is substantially as follows: The fatty substances to be rendered are introduced into the digester through the man-hole in the usual manner. Steam from the boiler is introduced into the chamber between the walls of the. tank, and hot-air is introduced into the central cylinder. If desired, steam may also be introduced directly into the material. under treatment through pipe Gr. Likewise, hot air may be directly introduced into the jacket by means of the pipe G', or hot air and steam at-the same time, as will be readily seen. When sufficiently acted upon or treated, the melted fat is first drawn off through the proper stop-- cocks, and then thevwater also from the lower cocks, in the usual manner.

The temperature in the internal hot-air cylinder may always be ascertained by inspecting thevthermometer placed therein; and it may be readily regulated by adjusting the stopcocks in the supply-pipe.

If it is desired to cool the hot-air cylinder quickly at any time, the hot air may be entirely-cut off and cold air be permitted to enter through the pipe h. When the discharging-door is opened, the lower loose strainerplate falls out with the contents of the digester. It must then be recovered and replaced in position before the next batch is treated.

Some ofthe advantages ofthe described construction are as follows: The combination of the tank with the intervening strainer-space between the ends of the steam-chamber in the walls of the tank is advantageous, because, in consequence thereof, the desired result-that is, the straining of the liquidis accomplished in a simple and economical manner. Another and very great advantage in this respect is, that it leaves but a' single wall to be pierced for pipes, and obviates the necessity of expensive and troublesome packing, as would be the case if the chambers of the jacket were pierced. The construction of the hot-air cylinder is advantageous because, by its employment, the hot liquids are permitted, during the process of rendering, to circulate freely throughout the tank, and consequently the temperature of the entire mass is equalized, or nearly so. By the employment of the strainer about the central cylinder described, the removal of the iiuid contents is much facilitated, as a chamber is formed between the strainer-plate and the cylinder, in which the fluid is free to settle without impediment. By means ofthe loose strainer and the strainer-chamber at the lower part of the tank, and the connecting-pipes, the fluid is caused to settle below the scrap, and is readily. removed through the draw-off cock. The employment of steam in connection with the radiated heat fromv the jacketv andthe radiated heat from the heated central cylinder is advantageous, because, by means of it, the pressure and temperature in the tank or digester can be more readily secured and controlled. f It can also be employed for the purpose of moreA rapidly heating the mass of material under treatment in connection with the other described means for heating.

It having been proved by experience that steam admitted directly to the material under treatment, as has been heretofore practiced, is detrimental to the product, giving to the tallow a comparatively dull,d ead color and a somewhat rancid odor, and also imparting to the scrap an offensive odor, thus injuring its commercial value, the steam should always be used very sparingly 5 and in the treatment of some kinds of material, such, for instance, ashogs faty and some kinds of animal refuse, I do not employ it at all, but depend entirely upon the radiated heat from the steam-jacket and hot-air drum to accomplish the rendering, the result in such cases being always more satisfactory. In the few cases where I employ the steam by admitting it directly to the material under treatment, I merely use it to increase temporarily the pressure in the digester by admitting it through a pipe of proper size, never to exceed five to eight minutes at a time, and only once every one to two hours intermittingly, so that in the time of treatment of a batch of seven to nine hours7 duration, I would not employ the steam altogether in this way to exceed twenty or thirty minutes, while the radiated heat from the steam-jacket and from the hot-air drum is employed constantly or without any intermission.

By the employment of hot air in the4 jacket instead of steam, or by the use of it alternately with steam, or in connection with steam, it will be seen that complete control maybe had of the temperature in the jacket at all times, and by this means the quality of the product is improved. By means of this steam-pipe, also, the interior of the digester may be readily washed and cleansed at any time. The employment of the devices for regulating the supply of hot air to the interior of the central hot-air cylinder is especially advantageous. By means of these the supply of hot air may be partially or wholly cut off at any time, and cold air may be admitted therein. If desired, an independent coldair pipe may be employed, as shown at w, Fig. l. The employment of the rear curtain in the fire-box, in connection with the front curtain, is advantageous, because thereby the rapid and complete combustion of the foul gases is further facilitated.

If desired, the hot air may be taken from the lire-box of the boiler, instead of employing a separate furnace.

If desired, the central hot-air cylinder may suitably covered and protected by strainerplates.

The described construction of the cylinder is adapted for steam, also; but I preferably `use the hot air, as described.,

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A vertical rendering-tank having double Walls, as described, and provided at one or more points upon its circumference With a single vertical Wall for the reception of the pipes and draw-oft' cocks, substantially as described.

2. In a vertical tank, the series of draw-off cocks heid in the single wan of the tank, `in

combination with the strainer, substantially as described.

3. The internal hot-air central cylinder, constructed in tWo or more parts and united by strainer-plates, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination of the internal hot-air drum with the surrounding strainer, as and for the purpose described.

5. 4The combination of the described strainer and its connecting-pipe with loose strainer D, as described.

6. The combination of the loose strainer D and the strainerchamber F, as described.

7. The combination of the loose strainer D and the discharging-hole plate, substantially as described. 8. In combination Wthheatradiated fromthe jacket and heat radiated from the hot cylinder, the employment of steam, substantially as described.

thermometer H', arranged as described,`for` the purpose set forth.

10. The described method of securing and .i

regulating at will the temperature and pressure in the described tank, employed as set forth, and cleansing and washing the same by means of steam admitted direct tothe inside of the apparatus, substantially as described.

l1. Arendering apparatus constructed substantially as described, and provided with the thermometers H H', located in the same airspace at diere'nt points, for the purpose of indicating perfectly the degree of heat, as described. y

12. The cold-air pipe leading from the outside of the apparatus into the bottom of the hot'air cylinder, in combination with a pipe extending from the top of said cylinder into the chimney, for the purpose of causing a cir-` culation of cold air, as described.

.13. The described process of rendering fatty substances, consisting in subjecting the same to the action of radiated heat from y the tank andan internal cylinder, and also to that of steam admitted directly to the massto a greater or less extent, as and for the purpose described.

This speciication signed and witnessed this 28th day of November, 1873.

HENRY S. FIRMAN.

Witnesses:

C. E. GRAY, C. L. HERRING. 

